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Laurier Off-Campus University Students
If you decide to live off-campus, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on all the great events and opportunities on campus! The Laurier Off-Campus University Students (LOCUS) program at our Waterloo and Brantford campuses work specifically to support our first year off-campus community with events, mentors and opportunities to get involved!
About LOCUS
LOCUS is a program designed to aid the transition into university for first-year students living off-campus. The program provides you with academic, social, and personal support to ensure that you will not miss Laurier’s on-campus experience.
Just like a residence floor has a don to guide and mentor their first-year students, off-campus first year students have access to a group of Off-Campus Advisor’s (OCA)’s. OCA’s host regular programming opportunities and are there to answer any questions you may have about their Laurier experience, academics, the city, or just life in general. OCA’s can also help you navigate life at Laurier, find more opportunities for volunteering, leadership, and fun.
Starting in September, you will have access to the various pods of opportunities and resources we provide such as, social engagement, academic, community & campus outreach and wellness-based connections within the community. LOCUS provides a fantastic opportunity for you to meet other off-campus students, learn about Laurier through engaging events, and have a mentor for you to ask about all things Laurier!
Get Involved with LOCUS
LOCUS works closely with Laurier’s Residence Education department, and because of that, LOCUS students are included in the First Year Leaership Program (FYLP). Some of these include first-year activities based on interests such as sustainability, academics, athletics and wellness, and more. LOCUS students are able to apply for student leadership positions within the FYLP. First-Year Leadership Positions, such as the Campus Council Representatives will become available during September Orientartion Week and provide students with the opportunitity to connect with all first-year students, including those living in Laurier residence buildings.
In addition, students can enhance their leadership skills with the LOCUS House Council. During weekly meetings, the LOCUS House Council plans LOCUS-specific events, and occasionally teams up with House Councils from residences for even larger-scale events.
Virtual Programs and Events
While we are so excited to be able to offer in-person events on campus again, we also recognize how important virtual and online programming will continue to be. As a member of the LOCUS program, you will be able to participate in all our virtual events from the comfort of your home.
A large part of the virtual programming we offer is through our streams on Twitch. We have a dedicated streaming team that stream a variety of games including Minecraft, Among Us, and Overcooked, while also running more interactive streams such as Minecraft Campus Tours, Game Shows, and Let's Tier streams. All students are welcome to watch and participate in chat during any stream, while some streams are open for students to join in and play alongside the LOCUS streaming team.
Check us out on Twitch and don’t forget to give us a follow!
Frequently Asked Questions
LOCUS is for any student experiencing their first year at Wilfrid Laurier University who are not living in a Laurier residence building. This includes mature and transfer students, regardless of what year you are entering.
No, LOCUS is exclusively a support program. Students are responsible for securing their own off-campus housing. However, we do have a variety of tools and resources to help you during your housing search.
LOCUS is free for all incoming off-campus students. There are no additional costs to join.
The Off-Campus Advisor (OCA) team will be running a variety of events for you to partake in over the course of the year. Examples of past programs include Movie/Series Watch Parties, Game and Hangout Nights, Fantasy Sports and Reality TV Leagues, Study Sessions, Campus Partner Collaborations, Live Twitch Streaming events like Minecraft, Let’s Tier & LOCUS Game Shows.
The OCAs are always looking for event ideas – if there is something you really want to do during your first year at Laurier, let an OCA know and they will try to make it happen.
We certainly do! Your Off-Campus Advisor's (OCA)'s will be your icebreakers during orientation week, and LOCUS works with the Laurier Students' Union to offer exclusive events for off-campus students in addition to all the great events they have planned for all first-year students. If you have not visited the orientation week website yet, check it out here.
You can apply to be a part of the First Year Leadership Program and the LOCUS House Council and run events for the entire LOCUS program. You will be provided with application deadlines and job descriptions in early September. Volunteering for the FYLP is a great way to meet other off-campus students and residence students.
Each residence building and LOCUS are assigned a mascot as part of the First Year Leadership Program (FYLP). The mascot for the LOCUS program is a lynx. When you join LOCUS, we like to say that you have joined the Lynx Pack!